I'm in my living room, desperately insisting that I not give up my petal pink bomber jacket (an outfit I've only worn once, by the way). It's for an hour-long virtual styling session over FaceTime for celebrity stylist Allison Bornstein (opens in new tab). Bornstein smiles at me in a friendly, confiding way: I've only known her for 40 minutes, but I feel like she understands me. 'Pink is hard,' she says. I prefer the olive [bomber] you showed me. Do I need both?" She was right, of course, and I sighed and put the pink in the "Never/No" pile.

Bornstein, who has been featured in Vogue (open in new tab), The Real (open in new tab), and Who What Wear (open in new tab), gives us her styling editing system. She has worked with celebrities such as Katie Holmes, Gigi Hadid, and Isla Fisher, but you'd never know it: without being pretentious or judgmental, she simply comes across as a kind friend who will tell you the truth about your clothing decisions. Collaborating with her has been an absolute pleasure and has revolutionized the way I approach my own style.

In mid-March, when we were all adjusting to a coronavirus quarantine (opens in new tab), Bornstein opened herself up to virtual styling sessions (opens in new tab). Since then, she has worked with more than 35 women like me for $150 an hour, $50 of which goes to the New York City Food Bank.

Bornstein explains that she had never done remote consulting before. He said, "By looking at someone's clothes, I get a sense of their [style]." When asked, he replied, "A million percent. I love it. I feel like that's the future."

Holmes is one of my favorite celebrities, and as a result, Bornstein has long been on my radar. (Holmes' current style prominence (open in new tab) is also thanks to Bornstein.) When I started following Bornstein, I immediately noticed that she was doing something that the other celebrity stylists I followed were not doing. She takes inspiration from outfits she has styled or likes, takes specific items in different price ranges, and actively encourages women to spend what they already have (i.e., shop in their own closets). It's high-low fashion, radical transparency, and sustainable shopping (opens in new tab) all rolled into one. Even when working with celebrities, including Holmes.

I have taken countless screenshots of the looks Bornstein has put together. She is looking out for all her followers, not just the 5'6", skinny, well endowed followers. Whether you're an advanced "How do I style my new Bermuda shorts (opens in new tab) for work?" or a beginner "Tell me about straight leg jeans again," she's got something for you.

I've never had a strong sense of my style, but I do follow the guiding principle that if you don't look nice enough to visit your colleagues at Marie Claire, don't wear it: the old, tasteless wardrobe I wore when I was 26 and working in the corporate world and the fashion magazines of my 30s It's a chic style I'm growing into as a writer (opens in new tab). Graduating from an old wardrobe is a common problem, Bornstein says. Her five-step system is honestly one of the best things I've ever done for my closet.

Simply put,

for my virtual session, I completed steps 1-3 and sent pictures to Bornstein in advance so that we were ready to talk. The bulk of the work was already done: these first two steps are much harder than you think and discover. No more "but the pattern is beautiful" or "what if I need it someday?" (I can't do Marie Kondo's method: all my clothes evoke joy.) The Bornstein system has gotten rid of 40 percent of my closet. It is so freeing. Having completed step one, I also have the perfect capsule wardrobe.

As soon as the call begins, Bornstein identifies the "power items" that make me look my best (check blazer, vegan leather jacket (opens in new tab)). There are so many items I love, but rarely do I feel like they work well together. Bornstein talks about mixing textures, lengths, and shapes and tying them together with themes and colors. She is a big fan of layering and tells me what looks most reasonable to her. And she warns against the false notion that if you like it, you buy 20 of the same thing. Too many clothes means you don't wear them all; it means you have more than you need.

Bornstein also helps us come to terms with styles that "don't look like us." Schoolboy blazers don't fit the shoulder width. Oxford shirts don't close at the chest, so they can be worn over a cami or dress instead of buttoned up. It's like I jokingly told Bornstein, stop trying to achieve fetch (opens in new tab). Fetch, in this case, is a style that I really want to accomplish but can't.

In short, she is teaching me how to be kind to myself (my shoulders aren't that wide, she insists). Instead of focusing on our fashion weaknesses, we focus on our strengths.

After we mix and match, Bornstein makes me take a picture of the outfit and save it to my phone: [for example, a cute polka-dot peplum top (opens in new tab) and a plaid blazer. But Bornstein makes it easy.

I still need to finish purging and organizing. The mix-and-match opportunities are endless. Bornstein says excitedly, "I can already see it. I can already see it"

.

I find myself in a privileged place: I have clothes to organize, money to spend on styling sessions, and time to edit. I have already coordinated a virtual clothing exchange with friends, and the rest goes straight to Goodwill (open in new tab). Even if it's for money, I want it to have a good second life with someone who needs it. Besides, now that I understand the true gaps in my wardrobe, I wear what I have and buy only what I need.

I have already told Bornstein that I will have another session with him soon. I am cooler, more confident, and (for the first time) looking forward to getting dressed every day.

And to quote Carrie Bradshaw (open in new tab), "Well, it's great."

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